Question

ink about Standard Oil's business practices. In three to four sentences, explain why there was such a strong negative feeling toward the Standard Oil monopoly.

Use details from the lesson and reading.

Answer 1

People resented Standard Oil because Rockefeller used aggressive, often secretive tactics—buying rivals, securing railroad rebates and drawbacks, and cutting prices to drive competitors out—to gain near-total control of refining (about 90% of the market). Those practices crushed small businesses, limited consumer choice, and appeared unfair and anti-competitive. Investigative exposes like Ida Tarbell’s articles and widespread fear of concentrated corporate and political power fueled public outrage, leading to antitrust action and the 1911 Supreme Court breakup of the company.